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(N 1 0 G5 E. & J. H GRIMMI 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Machine for Rolling or Spinning into Cylindrical Form Licorice, &c. No, 24l-,536= Patented May I7, l88l as? .2:? 7 2 $5 I BQ N. PETERS, Pmwulhognphor. Wmhinglcn. [1Q

v UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GERHARD E. GRIMM AND JOHN H. GRIMM, OF CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY.

MACHINE FOR ROLLING 0R SPINNING INTO CYLINDRICAL FORM LICORICE, &c.

SPEGIFIQATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 241,536, dated May 17, 1881.

Application filed February 25, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom/it may concern:

Beitknown that we, GERHARD E. GRIMM and JOHN HENRY GRIMM, citizens of the United States, residing at Camden, in the county of Camden and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Rollin g or Spin uing into Cylindrical form. Licorice and other Plastic Materials, of which the following is a specification.

The nature of our invention is as follows We have a vertically-moving presser-plate or table, on which is placed the plastic material which is to be rolled or spun into cylindrical form, in combination with a reciprocatin g platen, between which and the presser-plate the material is rolled or. spun to the desired diameter as the presser-plate is caused to approach the platen. Tokeep up theproper heat inthe material, when required, the platen is provided with a steam-chamber, into which steam is introduced to keep the face of the platen at its. proper temperature. After the rolls or sticks are reduced to the diameter required the presser-plate is tilted, by means of alever or other suitable device, for the purpose of discharging them onto an inclined board, from which they roll into longitudinal grooves in the periphery of a carrying-cylinder, which in its revolutions brings theminto contact with revolving cutters, whereby they are cut into the desired length and discharged onto a board or into atray, they being automatically freed from the said grooves by means of :endless tapes which move inia straightline at the point of delivery, whereby the rolls are gradually inclineduout of the grooves asthe carryingcylinder revolves. The revolving cutters run through slots in the under side of a trough which contains cotton or other suitable material which is saturated with oil or other lubri a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevationof ourimproved machine. Fig.2 is a diagram showing asection through the carrying-cylinder J, the tapes u, and the cylinder or roller J, and the arrangementof the revolving cutters s. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine. Fig. 4. is a cross-section at the broken line as w of Figs. 1 and 3. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the shifting-rod n. Fig. 6 is :a crosssection at the broken line y y of Figs. 1 and 3. Fig. 7 is a top view of the platen F. Fig. Sis an end View of the same. Fig. 9 is an edge View thereof. Fig. 10 is a plan view of the presser-plate supporting-frame E, having the lever H. Fig. 11 is a detailed View of the le ver H.

Like letters of reference in all the figures indicate the same parts.

A represents the bed-plate of that part of our machine in which the plastic material is rolled or spun into cylindrical form of the desired diameter. In practice the bed-plate is provided with feet or legs to bring ittoYthe proper height.

B B are housings atone endof thebed-plate which support the driving-shaft G and the counter-shaft 0. These shafts are geared together by means of the spulr-piniona and wheel a. on the shafts O and 0" respectively. The driving-shaft O is provided with the fast or driving pulley b and the loose pulley b. There are columns 0 c c 0 connected at their lower ends with the bed-plate A, and at their upper ends with the longitudinal guides e e, andalso with the arched girders d d, whereby they are securely held in both the longitudinal and lat 'eral directions of the machine.

D is a verticallymoving presser-plate on which the material to be rolled or spun into cylindrical form is placed. It rests upon the frame E, which has sockets fffflthat are adapted to slide up and down upon the columns c c c c forraising and lowering the presser-plate. It. also has sockets f f f f, in which the upperends of ,theverticall screwrods' h h h h are firmly secured, the lower ends of the rods having a vertical sliding movement in the boxes, which are bolted to the inside of the side pieces of the bed-plate A. The

frame E is shown in detail in Fig. 10. The lower ends of the screw-rods h are provided withmiter-wheels j j j j, which are adapted (to revolve in opposite .directions, at each side of the machine upon the screw -rods to raise andlower the presser-plate, the threads of the screw-rods being right and left, in adaptation to the gearing connected with said miterwheels, which is as follows:

The driving-shaft O is provided with a pinion, M, which gears into the wheel a on the inner end of the short shaft 0 On the outer end of this shaft C is a miter-wheel, j, which gears into the wheel 9' 011 one end of the shaft 0 On the other end of this shaft is a miterwheel, j, which gears into the wheel 3' of the cross-shaft G. This shaft is provided at each end, inside of the bed-plate A, with a miterwheel, j", which gear each into a miter-wheel, j, on the inner end of two shafts, 0 G at the same side of the machine, and each of the four shafts O has a miter-wheel, 9' on its outer end, which gears into one of the miter-wheelsj on the lower end of the screw-rods h, whereby a connection is made between the driving-shaft O and the screw-rods for moving the presserplate supporting-frame E up and down for raising and lowering the presser-plate D.

F is a platen, (shown in detail in Figs. 7,8, and 9,) which has a reciprocating sliding movement between the slides e 6, above described, for rolling the plastic material back and forth over the presser-plateD as the latter is forced upward, as above described. The movements are given to the platen by the counter-shaft O, which has wheels 70 70 provided with crankpins l I connected with one end of the pitmen G G, the other ends of which are connected with the wrist-pins l l of the platen.

The operation of rolling or spinning the plastic material into cylindrical form is as follows: The material is laid upon the presser-plate D and the driving-shaft O is setin motion, which operates the train of wheels intermediate between it and the screw-rods h h h h, which, by turning the said rods in such a manner as to raise the supporting-frame E, forces the presser-plate D upward, and when it is high'enough for the plastic material to bear against the platen F, (which has a sliding reciprocating movement, produced by means above described,) these movements of the platen give rolling movements to said material back and forth over the presser-plate, whereby the material is brought'into smooth cylindrical form by the time the presser-plate has approached the platen near enough to produce the proper diameter to the rolls. The height of the presser-plate D is regulated by the adjustment of the collar m on the upright rod n. (Shown in detail in Fig. 5.) The ring being so adjusted that when the plate has reached its proper height, the lug 0 on the contiguous edgeof the plate bears against the under side of thecollar and elevates the rod a far enough to disengage the clutch p from the groove p in the hub of the miter-wheel 7' whereby the wheel is allowed to slip out of connection with the wheel 3?, and thus break the connection of the driving-shaft O with the screw-rods h 'h h h. The presser-plate D is then lowered by a reverse movement of the driving-shaft. and the reconnection of the miter-wheel j with the wheel 7' or by means of the hand-wheel g on the shaft 0 which wheel may be used for either raising or lowering the presser-plate when desired. As the presser-plate is lowered it is brought into an inclined position, (represented by dotted lines in Fig. 1,) by'means of the lever H, to discharge the rolls onto the inclined board I, preparatory to cutting them into the desired lengths. This board is supported'between the housings B B, which are confined to the same table top or frame that may support the bed-plate A. They have suitable bearings for the revolving shafts O 0 J is a carrying-cylinder having longitudinal grooves r in its periphery, which receive the rolls of plastic material from the inclined board I, and as it revolves brings them againstthe revolving cutters s on the shaft 0, which is revolved by means of the band it, which passes over the pulley b of the driving-shaftO and Y the pulley b on one end of the cutter-shaft.

On the opposite end of the cutter-shaft there is a pinion, a, which gears into the wheel a on the shaft 0 of the cylinder J, to revolve it toward the revolving cutters. As the rolls'are cut into lengths, the cylinder revolving in the direction of the arrows, they are brought against the endless tapes u, which draw them gradually out of the longitudinal grooves 1', whence they drop upon the inclined board I, or into a tray, in regular rows, to be stamped, if desired. These tapes are connected with diminished parts of the carrying-cylinder J formed by the annular grooves 21, which are cut deeper than the longitudinal grooves r, so as to not have the rolls of plastic material-t0 come into contact with the tapes. They also connect with the cylinder or roll J on the shaft G The revolving cutters s are held accurately the right distance apart for cutting the rolls into the desired length by interposing between them on their shaft 0 barrelsw. The lengths of the cut rolls or sticks are varied-as may be desired by changing one set of barrels for another of the requisite length, and changing the cylinder J for one that corresponds therewith.

K is atrough, the ends of which rest in the three-sided supports :0 00, that are secured to the projections y y of the housings B B. It contains cotton or other suitable material that is saturated with oil or other lubricant, for the purpose of lubricating the revolving cutters s -(as they pass through suitable slots inlthe lower 'partof the trough) and thus prevent the plastic material sticking to them as they cut the rolls .into lengths. By this means the cutters pass easilythrough the rolls, and also smooth and level ends are thereby made.

For the purpose of heating the face of the platen F, so as to preserve .the proper degree of heat in the material to be operated upon to keep itsufficiently plastic by means of heat, if required, during therollingzprocess, steam is admitted through the pipe 2', which. connects with the central bore of one of thewristpins, 1, of the platen into the chamber L, the upper end of the pipe having a jointed connection with a feed steam-pipe in any suitable manner to admit of the reciprocating movements of the platen. The wrist-pin at the opposite edge of the platen is provided with an exhaust-pipe, 2.

We claim as our invention---- 1. In a machine for rolling or spinning plastic material into cylindrical form, a verticallymoving presser-plate, in combination with a sliding reciprocating platen, whereby, simultaneously with the rolling of the material back and forth on the presser-plate by the action of the platen, the rolls are gradually reduced in diameter by the movement of the presserplate toward the platen.

2. In a machine for rolling or spinning plastic material into cylindrical form, a sliding reciprocating platen having a steam -chamber provided with an inlet and an outlet or exhaust-pipe, substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of the supporting-frame E, with the columns 0 c 0 c and screw-rods h h h h, having gear-wheels jjjjfor raising and lowering the presser-plate D, the said gearwheels being operated substantially as described.

4. The combination of the platen F, having wrist-pins l l, with the counter-shaft G, by means of the wheels k k, crank-pins l l, and pitmen G G, and with the vertically moving presser-plate D, whereby the platen has a sliding reciprocating movement simultaneously with the upward movement of the presserplate, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination of the rod n, having a clutch, p, and an adjustable collar, m, with the gear-wheel 3' having a groove, 11, and the presser-plate D, for breaking the connection between the driving-shaft O and the screw-rods h h h h to arrest the upward movement of the presser-plate, as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination of thelever H with presser-plate D, for bringing the latter into an inclined position for the discharge of the plastic rolls, substantially as described.

7. The combination of the carrying-cylinder J, having longitudinal grooves 1" in its periphery, with the inclined board I and revolving cutters s, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. The combination of the endless tapes to M with the carrying-cylinder J, having longitudinal grooves 1" and annular grooves 11, and with the cylinder or roller J, for removing the plastic rolls from the grooves r, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination of the lubricatin g-trough K'with the revolving cutters s, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

' GERHARD E. GRIMM.

JOHN HENRY GRIMM.

Witnesses:

STEPHEN UsTIoK, WM. LARZELERE. 

